One takeaway from the gathering was that diabetes educators’ roles are expanding into multiple phases of treatment and prevention. From diagnosis to education, emotional support, nutrition, exercise and more, the role of an educator is a crucial, yet often overlooked aspect of diabetes management.

A large emphasis that came from the session was a focus on driving better outcomes for people with diabetes by embracing education as a front-line treatment option. Additionally, a shift is occurring among diabetes educators in that there is an increased focus on helping to self-educate individuals living with diabetes and cardiovascular issues, a push driven by the value-based care model. This indicates that there is an expanding need for point-of-care solutions that can support self-management programs and incentives.

On the show floor, PTS Diagnostics conducted hundreds of point-of-care product demonstrations at our booth showcasing our A1CNow®+ and CardioChek® Plus systems. With results in five minutes, the A1CNow system offers healthcare providers a fast and easy way of obtaining accurate HbA1c results via fingerstick. Likewise, the CardioChek Plus accurately tests a full lipid panel and glucose simultaneously in 90 seconds via fingerstick.

The speed at which these measurements are delivered allows for the majority of the time spent during a physician visit to be spent having meaningful diabetes and cardiovascular care conversations with patients. What we learned from the healthcare professionals who stopped by our booth is that they are seeking opportunities for face-to-face “coachable moments” with patients as it’s an important, yet often overlooked, step in the disease management and education process.

Overall, we were ecstatic to have experienced another AADE annual conference and are already counting down the days until next year’s event in Houston!

In today’s hustle and bustle society, it’s easy to become so encapsulated in day-to-day life that we fail to think globally. I’m fortunate that my role at PTS Diagnostics allows me to escape my personal ‘bubble’ and experience firsthand the global impact that our point-of-care technology makes.

One such unforgettable experience occurred in the remote town of Santo Amaro do Maranhão in northern Brazil. The town is home to about 4,000 residents, many of whom don’t have regular access to healthcare and may drive 5+ hours to the city of São Luís just to obtain it. Needless to say, time and money prevent many from making the trip unless it’s imperative.

Through a partnership with our regional distributor, NL Diagnostica, we worked with the town’s mayor and members of the local government to organize a health event using our A1CNow®+ system. These are fantastic analyzers for such events because they provide accurate HbA1c results in minutes with just a simple fingerstick.

It was an enormous success. We tested 115 residents between the ages of 7 – 87 and identified numerous individuals who were unaware that their results fell into prediabetic and diabetic ranges. They were then directed to physicians who can help to develop and implement personalized treatment plans, potentially altering the course of these individuals’ lives.

Similarly, another recent health event in Mato Grosso, Brazil used our analyzers to test 160 individuals and identified 43 of these individuals whose results fell in ranges that may signify prediabetes or diabetes.

The importance of programs like this cannot be understated. Diabetes, heart disease, and their associated comorbidities are an international epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, the global prevalence of diabetes among adults has risen from 4.7 percent in 1980 to 8.5 percent in 2014 and it rises at a much higher rate in middle and low-income countries. Grassroots initiatives such as the events in Santo Amaro do Maranhão and Mato Grosso help to reach the underserved communities that need point-of-care testing and healthcare support the most.

PTS Diagnostics is currently represented in 135 countries and we’re increasing our commitment to international events in 2018. Other global health events on the calendar for the remainder of the year include locations in South America, Europe, and numerous global trade shows and industry meetings.

​Our team recently had the pleasure of attending the American Diabetes Association’s 78th Scientific Sessions in Orlando. This five-day event was attended by more than 16,000 researchers and healthcare professionals from around the world, making this a unique opportunity to learn about and share significant advances in diabetes research, treatment, and care.PTS Diagnostics was honored to participate through both an exhibitor booth space and a poster presentation titled, “Point-of-Care HbA1C: A Case for Diabetes Screening and Diagnosis.” This poster presentation was on display throughout the event and used clinical research to advocate for the use of our A1CNow®+ system and other similar analyzers in the screening or diagnosis of people with diabetes.

This poster presentation will be available on our website for download in the coming weeks.

At our booth, the focus was on our CardioChek® analyzer (Lipid + eGLU®) and A1CNow®+ system as we successfully demonstrated each product to 400+ attendees and experienced constant foot traffic. The trade floor was abuzz about our point-of-care solutions and we relished the opportunity to connect these solutions with the PTS Diagnostics brand.

Overall, we were thrilled to have experienced our 5th ADA in 2018 and are already looking forward to the 2019 American Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions in San Francisco!

In addition to biometric testing, our teams educated attendees on strategies for reducing heart disease risk through AHA’s “Know Your Numbers” campaign, a program which reinforces the fact that even the most modest of health improvements can make a massive difference in one’s overall heart health.

We are proud that our combined efforts helped to make a difference in communities across the state of California, encouraging hundreds to take action to improve their own health.

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The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) rewards providers through merit-based incentives. In laymen’s terms, doctors will now be paid based on patient outcomes through value-based care rather than the number of medical tests and treatments provided.

With a performance payment period for these merit-based incentives set to begin on Jan. 1 2019, we’ve outlined a case for utilizing point-of-care technology to make treatment more effective and cost-efficient.

Fingerstick technology at the point of care fits seamlessly into the new age healthcare model by providing results in minutes instead of days. This in-office testing can allow physicians to accomplish more with each patient visit, including real-time coaching. The risk of worsening health between a test and its results is eliminated, thus potentially shortening the time it takes to improve a patient’s overall health.

Additionally, less administrative work associated with laboratories and a reduction in venipuncture blood draw equipment means that substantial healthcare savings may occur when transitioning to fingerstick technology for the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

These benefits are quantified in a recent study published by the American Association of Clinical Chemistry showing a financial savings of roughly $13 per patient, per visit, when point-of-care testing was utilized. Not only can this add up to significant savings, but it can potentially result in greater patient and provider satisfaction. Patients have the potential to be happier and healthier when the wait for laboratory results is eliminated and providers can experience increased administrative efficiency, allowing them to spend more time focusing on their patients. A win-win solution.